Head Start Sessions

Listed below are all the Head Start sessions at this year's Management Conference. Click on a session's title to read its description. All the Head Start sessions are associated with a purple-colored box on the conference schedule page.

Note: All regular sessions are 3 CPE credits; all mini sessions are 1 CPE credit. Regular sessions are 3 hours in length, and mini sessions are 1.5 hours in length.

FY10 OHS Monitoring Protocol - PDM
An Auditor's Look at Head Start Compliance
Head Start Eligibility
Head Start Governance
FY10 OHS Monitoring Protocol - Fiscal
Head Start In-Kind
Head Start Q & A

FY10 OHS Monitoring Protocol - PDM

Session Type: Regular
Level: Intermediate
Prerequisite: Head Start Management Background
Field of Study: Specialized Knowledge and Applications
Time: Tuesday, July 13; 1:30-5:00 pm
Trainer: Howard Gesbeck

The Program Design and Management section is broken down into the following eight subsections:

  • Governing Body
  • Policy Council
  • Planning
  • Ongoing Monitoring
  • Communications
  • Record-Keeping and Reporting
  • Human Resources
  • Program Strengths

There are 35 main compliance questions in the PDM section. Each main question has targeted questions that tell the reviewers what documents to look for, staff to be interviewed, and questions to be asked. For 2010, the wording of many questions has been revised, and many prompts have changed. In addition to the PDM Protocol, we will also review the FY 2010 Monitoring Protocol Guide for Program Design & Management.

We will review the questions within the section, discuss the types of documentation needed to show compliance with the Head Start Act and program regulations, discuss who will be interviewed and questions that they will be asked, and explain how the protocol can be used internally by each Head Start program to improve operations. In addition, the training materials will include our own unique and comprehensive summary schedules to help you understand these sections of the monitoring protocol. Finally, we will share our ideas on how your agency can survive a monitoring review.

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An Auditor's Look at Head Start Compliance

Session Type: Regular
Level: Intermediate
Prerequisite: Head Start Compliance and Management Background
Field of Study: Specialized Knowledge and Applications
Time: Tuesday, July 13; 1:30-5:00 pm
Trainers: Peter Olsen

Have you ever wondered what exactly an auditor is looking at when they test your Head Start program for compliance? Well wonder no more! Head Start directors and staff, as well as fiscal directors and staff, are invited to this session to learn how an auditor reviews your Head start program for compliance.

We will focus on and discuss:

  • Required compliance audit steps
  • Understanding, and the documentation of, internal controls for the Head Start program
  • Overview and application of the Head Start compliance supplement
  • Head Start financial reporting

You won't be an auditor when you leave this session, but you will know what they are looking for the next time they come to your organization

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Head Start Eligibility

Session Type: Regular
Level: Basic
Prerequisite: None
Field of Study: Specialized Knowledge and Applications
Time: Wednesday, July 14; 8:15-11:45 am
Trainer: Howard Gesbeck

One of the most important issues today for every Head Start program is to be fully enrolled - all children must meet Head Start eligibility requirements. If a program is under-enrolled or over-enrolled, this could result in a finding of non-compliance or even a deficiency. If a program has enrolled too many over-income children, then the cost of serving the excess over-income children can be disallowed. It is important that all staff in a Head Start program understand these and all other Head Start eligibility requirements.

In this session, we will focus on the current Head Start income eligibility requirements. We will discuss the two different definitions of family and when to use them, the different ways to determine a low-income family, the two programs that qualify as "public assistance,” what is and is not income, the period of time to consider, and more! In addition, we will discuss the Office of Head Start Policy Clarifications relating to income eligibility.

Finally, we will discuss the provisions in the recently signed Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007 income eligibility including:

  • Homeless children
  • Families with income between 100% and 130% of the poverty guidelines
  • Military pay that can be excluded
  • Enrollment reporting
  • And more
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Head Start Governance

Session Type: Regular
Level: Basic
Prerequisite: None
Field of Study: Specialized Knowledge and Applications
Time: Wednesday, July 14; 1:30-5:00 pm
Trainer: Howard Gesbeck

Organizations that operate Head Start programs have a very unique governance structure that shares decision-making between the Governing Board and Policy Council. The success of every Head Start program depends on these two groups properly working together. This is why we will share with you the current (since 1998) Head Start Governance and the many important new provisions in the Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007 (signed by the President on December 12, 2007) relating to Head Start Governance.

Head Start staff must communicate with, provide training to, and assist both the Governing Board and Policy Council. This unique structure has been a part of Head Start since 1970, and the current requirements have been in place since January 1, 1998. There are provisions in the Head Start Reauthorization that will make numerous changes to the current governance structure and to the responsibilities of both the Governing Board and Head Start Policy Council.

Join us to discuss the current Head Start governance, and the new provisions including the:

  • Composition of a Governing Board and Policy Council
  • Powers, functions, and roles for the Governing Board, Policy Council, and staff
  • New requirements for reporting to the Governing Board and Policy Council
  • Actions that Head Start grantees and delegate agencies should take to transition each agency to the requirements of the new law.
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FY10 OHS Monitoring Protocol - Fiscal

Session Type: Regular
Level: Intermediate
Prerequisite: Head Start Background
Field of Study: Specialized Knowledge and Applications
Time: Thursday, July 15; 8:15-11:45 am
Trainer: Howard Gesbeck

The Fiscal Management section is broken down into the following five subsections:

  • Governance and Internal Controls
  • Use of Head Start Grant Funds
  • Grant Property
  • Compensation
  • Financial Reporting
  • Management Systems Analysis

There are 35 main compliance questions relating to fiscal management. Each main question has 'prompts' that tell the reviewers what documents to look for and includes items to be discussed with the fiscal officer, fiscal staff, other staff and board members. For FY 2010, the wording of many questions has been revised and many targeted questions have changed. The approximately 200 targeted questions address documents and transactions to be reviewed, staff to be interviewed and questions to be asked. In addition to the Fiscal Protocol, we will also review the FY 2010 Monitoring Protocol Guide for Fiscal Management.

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Head Start In-Kind

Session Type: Regular
Level: Basic
Prerequisite: None
Field of Study: Specialized Knowledge and Applications
Time: Thursday, July 15; 1:30-5:00 pm
Trainers: John Hemming and Deron Kling

Are you finding in-kind harder to generate? Is answering the question, "is this in-kind?" your responsibility? Does generating in-kind fall on your shoulders? If you answered yes to any of these questions, please join us in this updated session.

We will discuss the tools, techniques, and regulations of generating, calculating, and documenting in-kind. Make generating in-kind everyone's responsibility in your program. This session will focus on:

  • What regulations and guidelines govern non-Federal in-kind
  • How to decide if a contribution is allowable non-Federal in-kind
  • Where the most amount of non-Federal match is missed
  • Documenting all in-kind
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Head Start Q & A

Session Type: Regular
Level: Basic
Prerequisite: None
Field of Study: Specialized Knowledge and Applications
Time: Friday, July 16; 8:15-11:45 am
Trainer: Howard Gesbeck

We will address questions relating to Head Start and Early Head Start financial management, administration, program governance, eligibility, etc. Agencies are invited to submit questions prior to the session by sending them to gfpinfo@wipfli.com subject line: HSQA. Presubmitted questions will be discussed before taking questions during the session.

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